The Tyranny of Distance: How Distance Shaped Australia's History

by Geoffrey Blainey

'One of the most illuminating books ever written on Australian history.' - The BulletinIn "The Tyranny of Distance", an Australian classic that has been continuously in print since 1967, Geoffrey Blainey describes how distance and isolation have been central to Australia's history and in shaping its national identity, and will continue to form its future. Fully revised and updated, this Macmillan edition examines how distance and isolation, while tamed, remain vital to Australia's development, even in the twenty-first-century 'global village'.Author InformationGeoffrey Blainey has been Professor of Economic History and Ernest Scott Professor of History at the University of Melbourne, and Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard. His other books include "Triumph of the Nomads", "A Land Half Won" and "Our Side of the Country". He lives in Melbourne.

Genres: History, Australia, Nonfiction, Classics, Geography, Historical, 20th Century

Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Geoffrey Blainey, one of Australia's most eminent historians, was appointed the foundation Chancellor of the University of Ballarat (UB) in 1993 after an illustrious career at the University of Melbourne. He was installed as UB Chancellor in December 1994 and continued until 1998. The Blainey Auditorium at the Mt Helen Campus of UB is named in his honour. Blainey, always a keen exponent of libraries and the acquisition of books, has donated part of his extensive book collection to the UB library. In 2002 the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters was conferred on Blainey in recognition of his contribution to the University of Ballarat and to the community in general.

Educated at Ballarat High School, Blainey won a scholarship to Wesley College, before attending Melbourne University where he studied history. He worked as a freelance historical author writing mainly business histories such as The Peaks of Lyall; Gold and Paper; a History of the National Bank of Australasia; and Mines in the Spinifex. Blainey accepted a position at the University of Melbourne in 1962 in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce. He held the positions of Professor of Economic History (1968-77); Senior Lecturer 1962; and from 1977-1988 he occupied the Ernest Scott Chair of History at Melbourne University. Professor Blainey also held the chair of Australian studies at Harvard University.

As an economic historian, Blainey challenged the conventional view, questioning accepted contemporary understandings of European settlement of Australia as a convict nation, Aboriginal land rights, and Asian immigration. He is described as a 'courageous public intellectual, a writer with rare grace and a master storyteller'. In a reassessment of the life of Blainey, 'The Fuss that Never Ended' considers his ideas, his role in Australian history, politics and public life, and the controversies that surrounded him.

He was always popular with students. According to the Melbourne University home page 'When Geoffrey Blainey spoke to final-year students in the Friends of the Baillieu Library HSC Lectures in the 1970s, the Public Lecture Theatre was packed to capacity and his audience carried copies of his books to be signed, a tribute to what Geoffrey Bolton characterised as his "skills in interpreting technological change in admirably lucid narratives that appealed to both specialist and non-specialist audiences".

Among his most popular works are the 'The Rush that Never Ended: A History of Australian Mining'; 'The Tyranny of Distance'; 'A Shorter History of Australia'; 'A Short History of the World'; and 'The Origins of Australian Football'.

In 2000 Professor Blainey was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia for service to academia, research and scholarship, and as a leader of public debate at the forefront of fundamental social and economic issues confronting the wider community. At that time the University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Kerry Cox said 'Geoffrey Blainey guided the new and inexperienced university through its first four years with a benevolent but firm hand. This time was challenging as the university strove to make a place for itself in higher education, grappled with funding cuts and the eventual merger with neighbouring TAFE institutes. For those at the university fortunate enough to work with Geoffrey Blainey during his time as Chancellor, they witnessed first hand his humility, and we are proud of his role in our history.'

In 2002 the degree of Doctor of Letters was conferred on Professor Blainey in recognition of his contribution to the University of Ballarat and the community in general. The same year Blainey donated a collection of material to the University of Ballarat. Included in this collection are historical books, papers and other material relating to the early history of mining and the central Victorian goldfields. A second generous donation of material was received in 2005. 'The Geoffrey Blainey Mining Collection' is l

Reviews

[Flo · Rating 4 out of 5]

By 1776, however, the revolt of the American colonies had deprived Britain of the outlet for convicts, and soon English gaols and prison hulks began to bulge with criminals. Finally, Britain decided to exile to the eastern coast of Australia many of those convicts whom it would once have shipped to North America […]
It was puzzling, however, that Britain should have selected Australia as her overseas prison. Australia was too far away.

No comments.


March 31, 21

[Junta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Australia Trivia
Answers in spoilers. Let me know how you scored (out of 10) in the comments!

Part One: Destiny and Distance

1. Chapter 1: Search
The Roaring Forties refer to:
a) the 1740s, when many new lands were discovered in the Pacific Ocean
b) powerful westerly winds that blow in the Southern Hemisphere between latitudes 40° and 50°
c) the term given to scorching temperatures in the northern ends of Australia when the British first settled there
d) a band of boisterous Spanish pirates in their 40's who nearly beat Captain Cook to Australia
b)

2. Chapter 2: Exile
In 1788, the Australian island which was primarily settled to serve the supply lines of war, and nearly had as many people as the town of Sydney at one point, was
a) Kangaroo Island
b) Fraser Island
c) Moreton Island
d) Norfolk Island
d)

3. Chapter 3: Isolation
In 1790, two years after the British landed on Australian shores, there was a dire situation due to:
a) famine
b) drop bears
c) war with Aboriginal people
d) convict uprisings
a)

4. Chapter 4: Limpet Ports
Although Britain and France were at war in 1800, French crew were allowed on Tasmania to:
a) explore the land for scientific discoveries
b) study the possible incorporations of Vegemite into haute cuisine
c) purchase excess Australian convicts
d) bring more convicts
a)

5. Chapter 5: Whalemen

The biggest whales in Australian waters weighed as much as 25 elephants or nearly as much as some of the smaller ships that went whaling. Chasing whales was therefore the most dangerous [...] of all seafaring trades. The insidious enemies of whales, however, were not the crews with harpoons and lances but rather:

a) Torres Strait Islanders
b) orcas
c) women and their households in Europe and North America
d) Herman Melville and his fans
c):

They kept the world's whaling fleets at sea in the first half of the nineteenth century. Their corsets and umbrella frames and the hoops beneath their dresses came from the slender, flexible mouth-bones in the bay whales. The superior candles they placed on their dinner tables were made from spermaceti, a solid wax taken from cavities in a whale's head. A whale's outer coating of blubber yielded a fatty oil which was the familiar oil of the domestic lamp, or an ingredient of soap. The rarest product of a sperm whale was ambergris, a grey opaque substance which came from an uncommon disease in a whale's intestines and was sometimes found floating on the sea. One of the most precious items in commerce, sold by the ounce and occasionally sold at a higher price than gold, it heightened the smell of perfume or flavoured dishes of Cordon Bleu cooks.

6. Chapter 6: Land Barrier
The opening of Australia's mining industry was hastened by:
a) quokkas
b) oxen
c) sheep
d) camels
c):

The taming of distance is essential before minerals can be found and mined. Mineral deposits lying near the coasts are likely to be discovered before mineral deposits lying far from the coast. Alternatively, mineral deposits lying near human settlement are likely to be discovered long before minerals that lie far from a hut or road. The first Australian metal fields to be opened were, understandably, in regions already occupied by sheep. Shepherds and sheepowners walking over the ground in the course of their daily work were the great mineral discoverers in early Australia.

7. Chapter 7: The Art of Abduction
The year 1831 was the last in which:
a) males outnumbered females by more than three to one
b) British inhabitants outnumbered the rest by more than three to one
c) convicts outnumbered the rest by more than three to one
d) the average Australian struggled to learn how to say three two one
a)

Part Two: The Taming of Distance

8. Chapter 8: Gold Clippers
The fact that most ships in the enormous fleet reaching the Australian coast in the 1850s faced the prospect of returning to Europe without a cargo or passengers had the odd consequence of:
a) strengthening white nationalism
b) Australia becoming the largest exporter of gold
c) sperm whales becoming an endangered species
d) Australia nearly becoming a republic
a):

It is possibly significant that large-scale Chinese migration to the Australian goldfields began in that season (1853–4); presumably some ships, unable to get a cargo of Canton tea, had contrived to arrange the only alternative freight which was profitable—Cantonese passengers. [...] By fostering a Chinese invasion, it sharpened Australia's prejudice against immigration from Asia and hastened the adoption of the creed of White Australia.

9. Chapter 11: Railway Boom
In 1920, the country with the longest stretch of railway in proportion to its population was:
a) Australia
b) New Zealand
c) Scotland
d) Switzerland
a)

10. Chapter 13: The Horseless Age
Qantas, nowadays Australia's largest airline, was named after:
a) the flying squirrel in the Dreamtime
b) the country town in Victoria where the company was founded
c) Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services
d) Lord Qantas, 1921–1925 Governor of Sydney
c)





An instructive book that managed to engage me on pretty much every page. A must-read for those interested in 18th–20th century Australian history. Blainey has written other books on Australian history, and I will be reading The Story of Australia's People Volume 1: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Australia next. The Tyranny of Distance focused on the colonising British, while this one will also cover the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

I haven't read many history books at all, but as with any good book, whether it be fiction or non-fiction, you want some of it to stay with you, and change the way you see things or think about things (even just one), not just entertain you during the reading and perhaps fade away quickly from your mind, only leaving vague impressions and tidbits. I was on the road from Canberra to Sydney on the weekend, and as we passed mountains, lakes, grassland, dry land, sheep, horses, cows, country towns, electric poles and other cars driving fast, they brought to mind various pages of Australian history from the book. A fascinating look at how distance shaped, and continues to shape Australia.





18 May, 2021

P.S. More trivia below in the updates.

[Andrew Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deserved classic. First published in 1966, The Tyranny of Distance holds up as an analysis of early Australian life and the way the sheer vast, unceasing distance of the continent shaped and changed national behaviour. As Blainey says in the intro (to the updated 1993 version I read), the idea of a tyranny has been used to claim more than he intended, but it's hard to make sense of the nation's development without his fundamental insight. From the reason Australia was established (less a penal colony and more a trading station/strategic port in Asia Blainey innovatively argued) to its 14 different rail systems and diverse rail gauges (since railways like most things ran towards the ports, which offered cheap and quick movement, not overland, which was expensive and slow, for a long time there was no need for connecting tracks).

The first half of the book is a particularly valuable read, exploring the impact of distance on the establishment of the nation. In the second half, Blainey turns to an enduring fascination of his, how technology was used by ordinary Australians to improve their lives. It's interesting to know of the development of Cobb & Co and their vast horse networks, but less immediately relevant or insightful for today. Some 50 years removed from publication, the book is notably flawed in the sheer absence of aborigines in the story, except as the briefest of background characters. This is something Blainey is at least rectifying in his more recent The Story of Australia's People, with Volume 1 covering the first nation people's story.

Still, there's a reason everyone knows the title of The Tyranny of Distance, even if they haven't read the book. Among the three iconic mid 1960s books I've read this year (The Lucky Country, Australia's Defence and The Tyranny of Distance), this is by far the most deserving of enduring classic status. We have too long ignored or wishes away our geography, but we can not understand ourselves without it. As we enter a much more difficult strategic and political environment, re-connecting with our geography and its constraints and opportunities is a fundamental responsibility.

[Sammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tyranny of Distance is one of the quintessential texts for anyone attempting to understand Australia. It is creeping up to its 50th birthday, so we shouldn't assume Blainey's analysis is infallible now, but his view of how isolation impacted the first colonial settlers, how it helped conjure up the conservatism, the complicated relationship with the motherland, the social values, and the relationship with the land beneath our feet (or, often, out of sight beyond the edge of a city), remains deeply insightful. Every Australian historian must live in his shadow, perhaps alongside that more socially passionate troika of Manning Clark, Inga Clendinnen, and Robert Hughes.

It should be said that this is not a "history of Australia" in any traditional sense. Sturt and Eyre do not appear in the index, nor do Barton or Deakin; Arthur Phillip and Matthew Flinders receive only a couple of pages; while Aboriginal Australians receive only passing references. (These subjects would be dealt with in the other two books in Blainey's unofficial "trilogy": A Land Half Won and Triumph of the Nomads: A History of Aboriginal Australia respectively.) The book has a broad scope, from mining and international trade to the rise of the railway, but it is filtered through Blainey's hypothesis: that the continent's isolation from its Western allies in the 19th and early 20th centuries, combined with its sheer size, played crucial roles in forming the development of the country, its industries, and its people's mindset.

For readers of my generation, we are apt to view Blainey in light of his perceived failures as a man rather than as an historian. Although he remained a potent force throughout the 20th century (and even into the 21st), he occasionally nailed his colours to less-than-savoury masts. His public concern about levels of Asian immigration is - strangely enough - at odds with the final chapters of the revised edition of this very book, in which he notes the regional importance of our ties to Asia. Ah, humankind! But, as Lawrence Durrell once said, if things were always what they seem, how impoverished would be the lives of man.

But with my rational book reviewer hat on, I don't think that can justify ignoring this key volume. It remains a crucial text in the teaching of Australian history, although - in line with its academic origins - a few chapters can get a touch dry. Extensive lessons on the manufacture and resourcing of flax, for example, would drive even a student of accounting to start eating the book just to be rid of it.

In a way, we have all absorbed Blainey's teachings already, so you probably don't need to read this book. Still, without him, we would know ourselves less well, and that would surely be a shame.

[Bob Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Putting Geography in Command

Almost every history book, whether on France or on China, takes a certain period, then sketches out, in greater or lesser detail, the main characters and events of that epoch. Better history books also concentrate on economic trends, movements of ideas and people, cultural styles and artistic creativity. Some historians write on a period through the life of a particular historic personage. History writers that march to a different drummer are scarce, perhaps because of the requirements of publishers and promotion committees. Geoffrey Blainey is one of a small band indeed.
Those familiar with contemporary Australia will recall the heaps of scorn poured on this gentleman by all kinds of people when he made some public comments against Asian immigration. No doubt these were unfortunate, but they do not in any sense take away from the quality of his work (which is free from racist remarks). THE TYRANNY OF DISTANCE takes geography as the main "character" in Australian history---that is, the fact that Australia is so far from the colonizing country, Britain. Blainey opens with a discussion of isolation. Instead of establishing colonies along a seaboard, as they did in America, the British founded "limpet ports", clinging to the vast continent at the very edge. While the early settlers in these widely-separated ports needed to import all forms of equipment from Britain, there was little in the way of cargo for the return voyage, neither wool nor gold weighing much. Thus, there was not much incentive to send ships to the distant continent. The story then turns to whalers, gold seekers, and the rising necessity to manufacture many items locally since importing them was too slow and too expensive. Why didn't this beautiful, resource-rich land attract more settlers like the USA ? Mainly, Blainey argues, because of distance. The long-lasting "assisted passage" plan (government paying for immigrants' voyage) came into existence when the other kind of "assisted passage"---sending convicts, tapered off. The second part of the book examines how Australia tamed the tyranny of distance through steamships, railways, airplanes, and through the other developments of the 20th century. This well-researched book is written in a most readable style, in fact, it is hard to put down. There are 5 useful maps and many interesting illustrations. If you would like one book that gives you an idea about Australia's history, that tells you why it was never just "another America" (and never will be), I strongly recommend THE TYRANNY OF DISTANCE.

[Ian Hodkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

After almost 40 years of living in Australia (and very cognisant of how far away it is from everything else) I finally got around to reading Geoffrey Blainey's seminal work. It told me a great deal about how distance and sheer size had shaped Australia's economic and social development. Fascinating and easy to read. Now, to his other books.

[Tyron Surmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came to this book with little knowledge of Australian history, and at parts did enjoy it. I wonder though to what extent this was because it was the first book I had read on the topic, rather than due to its inherent merits. And generally I wouldn't reccomend this as your first introduction into Australian history.

Blainey introduces the concept of 'distance', and uses that as his narrative thread. This seems to have served him well in advancing certain arguments in the context of 1960s Australian history, and leads him to some interesting takes - e.g. how early Australia wasn't necessarily first and foremost a penal colony, or explaining the rationale for not unifying the diverse railway gauges.

However, in a historiographical sense it felt like he didn't really adequately develop it. In the foreward he compares the concept of 'distance' in Australian history to that of the 'frontier' in American history. But in American historiography that concept is incredibly developed, with advanced debates on whether it is just a process or a place or a state of mind. Maybe it is unfair for me to make that comparison, given that this is just the first book in what I understand to be a subsequent long tradition of using the 'distance' concept in Australian historiography, but I do think he could have done more.

Similarly - and this 100% reflects this book's position as the first I've read on Australian history, rather than its quality - I was looking for a much more vivid sense of what early Australia was like. Sydney and Hobart were the two main cities, but you don't really get to know anything about them. Aboriginals are ignored. The dynamics of a society with 10% per annum population growth, largely driven by mass immigration from the single source of the British Isles (does that fact not somewhat counter the distance concept?), is not examined in detail.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting read and well put together. However, it shows its age. Quite a narrow viewpoint: right wing and racist. I'm still not sure whether this is due entirely to time in which it was written. Or the authors political and social persuasion?

[notgettingenough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do wonder how this has held up. Have no intention of doing anything energetic to find out.

[D.A. Cairns · Rating 4 out of 5]

As one might guess from the title, this Australian history book focuses on transport and the way it impacted the development of Australia. With this shift of focus away from people and events to a thorough and fascinating discussion of transport and its economical and social benefits, I learned a great deal more about my country.

At times, it was a little dry due to extensive discussions of specifications and statistics but overall, the cleverly titled The Tyranny of Distance provides fresh and amazing insights. For example, I didn't know that whaling and sealing were our first big industries. It also shines some light on some overlooked characters in Australian history like the railway commissioners and provides new perspectives on the vastness and remoteness of our continent.

Blainey has a knack for threading more obscure historical facts and sociological commentary through the general narrative, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy his writing. The Tyranny of Distance is an excellent book for Australian history fans and history buffs in general.

[William Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A seminal work in Australian historiography which is a must read for anyone wishing to understand the generational factors which dictated the course of Australian history. Though a dense read and at some times very dry purely due to subject matter, but if you enjoy the history of economics and industry you’ll love it. The first part of the book I found to be the most interesting and overall I found his argument to be well argued and have changed the way I thought about Australian history. 4 stars because of its value rather than enjoyment.

[Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blainey’s examination of the impact Australia’s geographical isolation had on her development is illuminating. He often raises points an armchair historian never considers, framing the tyranny of distance as a factor which influenced everything. He shows how Australia’s global location led to a unique development in world history, functioning as a British economic appendage despite its Asian Pacific location. It is a denser read than his short history books, and less human than Black Kettle and Full Moon, but it is as dependably informative as Blainey always is.

[Michele Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a history student many decades ago, and loved it. Re reading, it’s reminded me of Blainey’s excellent penmanship. History is never boring when someone has the gift of the story teller. Every Australian resident should read it at least once, twice was better. It was published 52 years ago, I found how a lot of it still resounds now, especially the fear of immigrants. A wonderful read.

[Fiona Ottley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blainey is really good, although in parts he gets a bit OCD about ships.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Good historical reading of Australian history but lacks alternative views such as Indigenous history, or populate or perish views, or why Australia is a now " preferred" emigrant destination if tyranny is such an important factor...evidence suggests otherwise. If Australia had a relatively large population early on then distance may no matter. There is a bit of cultural cringe about being closer to more "important" locations that needs discussion and exploration. An updated chapter on tryanny of distance and the COVID pandemic would be interesting especially compared with the 1919 Spanish Flu and lessons learnt or forgotten.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant analysis of the role that distance has played in shaping Australia's history. I doubt anyone else could have written this, certainly no-one else could have done it better. Interesting facts and analysis jump off each page. A must read for anyone remotely interested in Australian history

[Thalya Pateridis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read that is not dull despite the content. Interesting to hear how Australia came to be without much prior knowledge. Great writer!!

[Angus Mcfarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable description of the role Australia's isolation has played in making it 'the greatest country on earth' (according to biased prime-minister seeking re-election). Blainey began the book as a history of transportation - by land, sea and air - in Australia, but expanded to encompass the settlement of Australia as well, since the the colonial connections and the distance involved also impacted on the later developments. In fact, it was the earlier parts I enjoyed the most - the justifications for such an extraordinary risk and the failure they often resulted in gives a sense of amazement that 'Australia' ever succeded. Having a diary account of the trip undertaken by one of my ancestors, the description of thehazards and time needed to undertake the voyage from Britain underscores the desperation and daring of their times.



Being historical in nature, the relevance of much of the text is equally valid and surprisingly, suffers little from having been written nearly 50 years ago. Despite being scholarly, it reads simply. Very worthwhile.

[Nicholas During · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great history: full of information, with new interpretations and explanations, and easily read conceptions of what people thought in the past. A great example of how history books can be written. Too bad Blainey lost his reputation with later public opinions. Still, doesn't take from what he achieved with this book.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

History at its best - told in a personal and readable way that redefines the way you see the past, and you can't ask for more than that.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

some interesting information , but not of much interest to ME.

[Damien · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece.

[Wes Pue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable

[Ralphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tyranny continues
Would be interesting to read a rethink of this.
Distance still shapes us for good and for bad.
😎✅👍📚